rlm@0: Changing Seasons
rlm@0: by tehwalrus, a Card Captor Sakura fanfiction
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rlm@0: Winter  gently, slowly makes herself known. She creeps up in that first cold 
rlm@0: wind, in a guise as she first introduces herself to you, her long fingers 
rlm@0: playing through your hair, brown locks waving in the...
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rlm@0: Tomoyo closes her notebook with a happy but also regretful sigh as class 
rlm@0: finishes. She wanted to keep writing, but now she gets to go on her date with 
rlm@0: Sakura-chan! Of course, not a real date... She smiles at the brown haired 
rlm@0: bishoujo sitting in the desk next to her. "How is your poem coming Sakura-chan? 
rlm@0: Is it going to be excellent or spectacular?" The second girl blushes very 
rlm@0: cutely as she finishes packing up. "Tomoyo-chan... it really isn't as good as 
rlm@0: you say it is."
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rlm@0: Naoko, Chiharu and Rika walked over just then, each of the girls carrying thier 
rlm@0: schoolstuffs. Tomoyo smiles softly to the three, "Hello Naoko, Rika, Chiharu. 
rlm@0: Could you tell me how good this poem is?" She struggles just a little to bring 
rlm@0: up her memory of it, then begins to recite.
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rlm@0: "Sakura blossoms and Spring are two parts of the same thing. One just another 
rlm@0: flower without the other while Spring would be never seen without pink and 
rlm@0: green..."
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rlm@0: "Oh, very nice Tomoyo!" All three of Sakura's friends congratulated, Sakura 
rlm@0: blushing deeply. Tomoyo shakes her head a little bit, looking dreamily at 
rlm@0: Sakura. "Oh, that was Sakura-chan's great poem, not mine. It is very good 
rlm@0: Sakura-chan, everyone agreed." The girl nods, still blushing. "Hai, arigatou 
rlm@0: everyone. Tomoyo-chan and I were going to get ice cream before the store closes 
rlm@0: for christmas. Would you like to come too?"
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rlm@0: Tomoyo frowned only very slightly. She wanted to spend time alone with her 
rlm@0: genki friend, but wanting to make everyone happy and feel included was part of 
rlm@0: what made Sakura-chan Sakura-chan. Chiharu noticed the little disappointed look 
rlm@0: on Tomoyo's face, and quickly shook her head. "Sorry Sakura, we were all going 
rlm@0: to go over some homework together so we'll have it all done for the break." The 
rlm@0: other two nodded after a second, realizing what was going on. "We'll come next 
rlm@0: time."
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rlm@0: Tomoyo whispered a small thank you as the three friends left and felt bad... 
rlm@0: Sakura had confided in her, saying how she wasn't happy about how she and the 
rlm@0: other three girls were growing apart, not realizing everyone had taken to 
rlm@0: leaving the brunette alone with Tomoyo for the heiress' sake. Sonomi kept 
rlm@0: saying that Sakura-chan was definately having more fun with just Tomoyo... but 
rlm@0: Tomoyo always felt guilty anyways, though not enough to give up this time with 
rlm@0: her Sakura-chan. She felt even more guilty for not acting on her guilt.
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rlm@0: ...wind. She stays the same inside, but over time her intensity grows unable to 
rlm@0: hide itself and she snows down, showing her true colors, ruining your happiness 
rlm@0: with her frozen tears.
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rlm@0: Tomoyo smiles as Sakura tells her about how Christmas had originated in the 
rlm@0: South Pole, but then Santa had to move since his wife was allergic to penguins. 
rlm@0: Tomoyo takes a bite of ice cream, shaking her head ruefully. "Did Yamazaki-kun 
rlm@0: tell you that Sakura-chan?" She giggles as Sakura nods emphatically. "I think 
rlm@0: maybe he was making it up."
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rlm@0: Sakura blushes deeply again, embarassed at herself. "I always believe him..." 
rlm@0: Tomoyo reaches across the table, taking Sakura's hand in both of her own and 
rlm@0: smiling softly at the brunette.
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rlm@0: "Sakura-chan is sweet and trusting. Don't be ashamed about it, those are some 
rlm@0: of the things that make Sakura-chan so perfect and wonderful." Tomoyo cringes 
rlm@0: inwardly... I have to tone it down some, not even kawaii Sakura-chan is 
rlm@0: completely naive. Of course, she was going to tell Sakura her feelings soon 
rlm@0: enough. If the poem Sakura was going to open on Christmas morning wasn't 
rlm@0: enough, Tomoyo wrote at the bottom "I love you Sakura, as your mother loved 
rlm@0: your father." Not even Sakura's naivety could escape the blatance there.
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rlm@0: Sakura paled, her eyes going wide. "Tomoyo-chan... you love me?" Her speech 
rlm@0: comes out a bare whisper, but it more than enough to startle the heiress out of 
rlm@0: her introspection. She... she must have said the words aloud? Tomoyo nods once, 
rlm@0: slipping the poem out of her notebook and setting it on the table, then running 
rlm@0: quickly out of the building. She wasn't expecting this, she wasn't prepared... 
rlm@0: she didn't know what to say, so she just ran and kept running, not noticing 
rlm@0: where she was going.
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rlm@0: Eventually she stops, finding herself on the bridge, and takes a seat along the 
rlm@0: edge of it, tears streaming down her face. "I ruined the whole plan, I was 
rlm@0: supposed to be at home when Sakura opened it, to give her a chance to reject me 
rlm@0: and never see me again. I was..." She stops midsentence at the sound of the so 
rlm@0: familiar voice behind her.
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rlm@0: "That's not fair Tomoyo-chan, I... you should have done as you did, and tell me 
rlm@0: to my face." Sakura puts a hand on Tomoyo's shoulder, sitting down beside her 
rlm@0: friend and pulling the sobbing girl into a comforting hug. "We're best friends 
rlm@0: Tomoyo-chan, you know you can tell me anything. I love you too..." Sakura's 
rlm@0: face lights up as she comes to that realization, and Tomoyo's sobs stop from 
rlm@0: where she's tucked agaisnt the brunette's shoulder.
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rlm@0: She looks up, most of her tears wiped from her cheeks. "Y-You do?" Sakura nods 
rlm@0: a little, grinning. "I do Tomoyo-chan... I didn't know it, but I do."
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rlm@0: And the brunette wipes the frosty tears away with a gentle kiss, holding Winter 
rlm@0: tight to herself and revealing Spring, still wet with sadness but joyful as 
rlm@0: happiness begins.